The Old Testament Witness to Christ and His Kingdom, Mentor's Guide, MG09

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T H E O L D T E S T A M E N T W I T N E S S T O C H R I S T A N D H I S K I N G D O M

lying, deception, and ill-will toward the human race. We know that this promise is renewed with Abraham whose seed would be blessed and would be a blessing to all the nations (Gen. 12-13). This promise of a seed, an heir, a blessed warrior who would make an end of the works of the devil, was renewed with Abraham’s sons, Isaac and Jacob, and then passed on to Jacob’s son Judah (Gen. 49). The promise weaves through the OT, through the house of Judah, until it is made explicit that the seed would be an heir of the house of David (cf. 2 Sam. 7), and the prophets add even more color, knowledge, and revelation about the character and work of this seed (e.g., Isa. 9.6-7; 53.1-12). Finally, the seed is revealed in the NT to be the person of Jesus of Nazareth, who himself is the fulfillment of the ancient promise of the Lord to bring to the earth one who would redeem his people, restore creation, and reign forever as the Lord and King of God’s universe. The apostles make it explicit that Jesus of Nazareth is in fact the long sought for seed of Abraham (e.g., Paul in Galatians 4.4, “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law”). Likewise, John makes it plain what the purpose of Jesus of Nazareth was in coming in to the world: 1 John 3.8 “Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.” Truly, Jesus of Nazareth is the fulfillment of the ancient promise of Yahweh to send through the line of humankind, the seed of the woman, a person who would both redeem humankind from its guilt, as well as finally destroy the works of the devil. This image of the serpent whose head is crushed by the victorious warrior of the Lord is dominant in the imagery and rhetoric of the apostles. Notice these themes in the following representative texts of the NT: Rom. 16.20 - The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Eph. 4.8 - Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” Col. 2.15 - He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. Heb. 2.14-15 - Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, [15] and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

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